7 Which toys and games are appropriate for our children?

Abstract

Toys and gamesMainstream toys are 3-Dimensional and sensorial objects that adults give children to support their play activities and which are designed with this intention.Although toys are the tools of play, play is not an attribute of toys. The play belongs to the player, to the child who wants and needs to play as long as the toy is compatible with his/her functioning and interests. However, any object can become a toy if the child chooses to play with it and if the safety conditions are guaranteed. For example, a toy can be an object from nature (e.g. pebbles, leaves) or an object from the house (e.g. pan, adult shoe, empty box, paper).Toys belong to the concrete reality where a child lives. They are essential mediators between a child and his/her environment. They are means for social exchange between children and enable them to play together. Being a mediator between the physical reality and its symbolic representation, toys also empower a child to express his/her feelings, worries or concerns.In recent years, and thanks to electronics, a more subtle mechanism of interaction has been introduced in some toys. It is possible to add sensors that can perceive